Does Jawed Still Own Youtube? The Truth Behind The Ownership

You’re probably wondering if Jawed Karim still owns YouTube. The short answer is no, he doesn’t.

YouTube, the world’s most popular video-sharing platform, was founded by three former PayPal employees: Jawed Karim, Chad Hurley, and Steve Chen. Google acquired YouTube in 2006 for $1.65 billion, a major move that solidified Google’s position in the online video market.

While Google now owns YouTube, the founders’ journey didn’t end there. Jawed Karim, the co-founder who uploaded the very first YouTube video, left the company shortly after the acquisition. He later went on to become a partner at Youniversity Ventures, a venture capital firm focused on early-stage technology companies. He also made headlines for his significant investment in Airbnb and PayPal in its early days.

Chad Hurley and Steve Chen stayed with YouTube for a while after the acquisition, helping to manage the platform’s growth. They eventually left Google in 2010, but their impact on the world of online video remains significant. Chad Hurley founded Avid Technology, a video editing software company, and Steve Chen later joined Google’s YouTube division again, but ultimately left to become an entrepreneur and investor.

So, while Jawed Karim, Chad Hurley, and Steve Chen are no longer directly involved in the day-to-day operations of YouTube, their contributions to its early success are undeniable. Their vision and hard work paved the way for the platform we know and love today.